Myanmar’s military staged a coup today, detaining several top officials (including government leader Aung San Suu Kyi) and declaring a year-long state of emergency. The coup follows an election in November (in which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party retained its parliamentary majority) that the military claims was fraudulent. Myanmar’s election commission has rejected the claims, and the coup drew widespread international condemnation (including calls from the US and UK to release the government officials).
More context: Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a Southeast Asian nation that borders Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (map). The country was under military rule between 1962 and 2011 (wiki), and the military still retains significant government influence (including a guarantee of 25% seats in parliament).
The New Paper
This story is from the February 1, 2021 edition of The New Paper – a clear, concise daily briefing that makes fact-first news easy to consume. Try it today.
